M(metastasis): This refers to whether the cancer has metastasized (spread to distant areas of the body).

Once the individual T, N, M components are scored, they are combined to determine the overall stage group, which will be one of the following.

Stage 0: This stage is also known as vaginal epithelial neoplasia 3 (VAIN 3), or carcinoma in situ. Cancer cells are restricted to the top epithelial layer of cells lining the vagina and have not invaded any deeper.

Stage I (stage 1 vaginal cancer): The cancer cells have invaded deeper tissue layers of the vagina, but they have not spread beyond the vagina to nearby structures or lymph nodes.